Actor Robert De Niro called President Donald Trump “evil” in an unhinged speech shared with attendees at an event aimed at stripping the former president of his political power.
The anti-Trump actor reiterated his sentiments in a prepared speech before a scheduled appearance at The New Republic’s Stop Trump Summit in New York City on Wednesday.
While De Niro was due to deliver the speech in person, he canceled attending the event after testing positive for COVID-19.
His statement was read out at the event by former Trump administration official Miles Taylor.
“I’ve spent a lot of time studying bad men,” the statement read.
“I’ve examined their characteristics, their mannerisms, the utter banality of their cruelty. Yet there’s something different about Donald Trump,” De Niro said in the speech.
“When I look at him, I don’t see a bad man. Truly.”
“Over the years, I’ve met gangsters here and there,” De Niro stated
“[Trump] tries to be one, but he can’t quite pull it off. There’s such a thing as ‘honor among thieves.'”
“Yes, even criminals usually have a sense of right and wrong. Whether they do the right thing or not is a different story—but—they have a moral code, however warped. Donald Trump does not.”
“He’s a wannabe tough guy with no morals or ethics,” De Niro continued.
“No sense of right or wrong. No regard for anyone but himself—not the people he was supposed to lead and protect, not the people he does business with, not the people who follow him, blindly and loyally, not even the people who consider themselves his ‘friends.’ He has contempt for all of them.”
De Niro said that New Yorkers “got to know him over the years that he poisoned the atmosphere and littered our city with monuments to his ego. We knew first-hand that this was someone who should never be considered for leadership. We tried to warn the world in 2016.”
However, De Niro’s speech received some backlash on X.
“De Niro has made many negative statements regarding Trump since day one. Many of De Niro’s statements regarding Trump were terrible and offensive to the American people. I no longer watch any of his movies, and to me, De Niro is repulsive,” one user wrote.
De Niro has made many negative statements regarding Trump since day one. Many of De Niro’s statements regarding Trump were terrible and offensive to the American people. I no longer watch any of his movies and to me De Niro is repulsive.
— MELVIN HARTER (@HGPreacher) October 12, 2023
“Go away, De Niro. Not everyone cares what you think of another person,” said another.
“We care about our country and Trump’s policy. I didn’t always like my [boss’s] personality, but I liked what he did for the company that kept our jobs to live our lives.”
“Can’t stand Trump, but I don’t give a s*** what De Niro or any other Hollywood celebrity thinks,” one X user commented, while another wrote:
“The only place De Niro has ever been a real man is in the movies. He couldn’t hold Trump’s golf balls.”
Another user wrote that Trump “is the only candidate that can & will unite America. De Niro wants Hollywood & Washington connected at the hip so that each location can dictate to Americans how to live their lives under the political boot of propaganda. The left is scared that he will expose them 2!”
De Niro went on to warn against the reelection of Trump.
“Democracy won’t survive the return of a wannabe dictator,” he wrote.
The actor offered a solution, saying others should “reach out to Trump’s followers with respect,” adding that “[we] won’t get them all, but we can get enough to end the nightmare of Trump, and fulfill the mission of this ‘Stop Trump Summit.'”
Below is De Niro’s speech in FULL:
I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you today. A few days ago, I came down with a heavy case of COVID. I was looking forward to being with you, hearing the other speakers, and speaking with Miles [Taylor]. I first encountered Miles when he was still “anonymous.” Through his writing, commentary, and books, I’ve come to admire his intelligence and courage. I’m grateful that he’s agreed to be my voice today.
I am with you in spirit. I am watching. This is an important conversation. What The New Republic is doing in this “Stop Trump Summit”—what you all are doing here today—can help determine our future.
I’ve spent a lot of time studying bad men. I’ve examined their characteristics, their mannerisms, the utter banality of their cruelty. Yet there’s something different about Donald Trump. When I look at him, I don’t see a bad man. Truly.
I see an evil one.
Over the years, I’ve met gangsters here and there. This guy tries to be one, but he can’t quite pull it off. There’s such a thing as “honor among thieves.” Yes, even criminals usually have a sense of right and wrong. Whether they do the right thing or not is a different story—but—they have a moral code, however warped.
Donald Trump does not. He’s a wannabe tough guy with no morals or ethics. No sense of right or wrong. No regard for anyone but himself—not the people he was supposed to lead and protect, not the people he does business with, not the people who follow him, blindly and loyally, not even the people who consider themselves his “friends.” He has contempt for all of them.
We New Yorkers got to know him over the years that he poisoned the atmosphere and littered our city with monuments to his ego. We knew firsthand that this was someone who should never be considered for leadership. We tried to warn the world in 2016.
The repercussions of his turbulent presidency divided America and rattled New York City beyond imagination. Remember how we were jolted by crisis in early 2020, as a virus swept the world. We lived with Donald Trump’s bombastic behavior every day on the national stage, and we suffered as we saw our neighbors piling up in body bags.
The man who was supposed to protect this country put it in peril because of his recklessness and impulsiveness. It was like an abusive father ruling the family by fear and violent behavior. That was the consequence of New York’s warning getting ignored. Next time, we know it will be worse.
Make no mistake: the twice-impeached, four-time indicted Donald Trump is still a fool. But we can’t let our fellow Americans write him off like one. Evil thrives in the shadow of dismissive mockery, which is why we must take the danger of Donald Trump very seriously.
So today we issue another warning. From this place where Abraham Lincoln spoke—right here in the beating heart of New York—to the rest of America:
This is our last chance.
Democracy won’t survive the return of a wannabe dictator.
And it won’t overcome evil if we are divided.
So what do we do about it? I know I’m preaching to the choir here. What we’re doing today is valuable, but we have to take today into tomorrow—take it outside these walls. We have to reach out to the half of our country who have ignored the hazards of Trump and, for whatever reason, support elevating him back into the White House. They’re not stupid, and we must not condemn them for making a stupid choice. Our future doesn’t just depend on us. It depends on them.
Let’s reach out to Trump’s followers with respect. Let’s not talk about “democracy.” “Democracy” may be our holy grail, but to others it is just a word, a concept, and in their embrace of Trump, they’ve already turned their backs on it. Let’s talk about right and wrong. Let’s talk about humanity. Let’s talk about kindness. Security for our world. Safety for our families. Decency. Let’s welcome them back. We won’t get them all, but we can get enough to end the nightmare of Trump, and fulfill the mission of this “Stop Trump Summit.”
Thank you.
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